It’s not going to be easy for the Minnesota Timberwolves to bounce back from a 15-67 season and become contenders again, but that doesn’t mean the Minnesota players and coaches won’t be frustrated after a loss like the the 109-89 beating the Memphis Grizzlies handed the Wolves last Saturday.

According to Ray Richardson of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press, nobody was more upset with himself and his team after the loss than new forward Michael Beasley, who followed up two strong performances to start the season with a six-point, six-turnover abomination against the Grizzlies:

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The word “Professional” was written in large letters on a chalkboard inside the Timberwolves’ locker room Saturday night. Somebody must have written it after the Wolves’ demoralizing 109-89 loss to Memphis at FedExForum.

Before the game, the board was filled with a checklist of items to remind Wolves players of their responsibilities. Whatever game plan Wolves coach Kurt Rambis had intended was never executed, prompting claims from Rambis of a lack of professionalism in his players and an alarming assessment from a frustrated Michael Beasley.

“I feel like everything we’ve been working on since training camp went out the window tonight,” Beasley said. “As of right now, we’re the worst team in the NBA.”

Beasley was so disturbed with the results that he sat in front of his locker stall staring at the floor with his uniform on. He was the last player still in uniform, but he had a reason. Beasley was preparing to go back onto the court to do some extra shooting.

Beasley didn’t address his performance, but he appeared to be speaking for the entire team. After an impressive win over Milwaukee on Friday night at Target Center, the Wolves failed to follow up and give indications that things really might be different this season.

“We played soft,” Beasley said. “With our record last year (15-67), we can’t come in thinking we have the game won already. Getting our first win last night was not good for us. We came in here on our high horse, and they knocked us off.”

It’s good to see that the Timberwolves haven’t resigned themselves to the cellar already, and that the notoriously flighty Beasley appears to want to get better instead of let himself off the hook for performances like the one he had on Saturday. Time will tell if the Timberwolves’ frustration and apparent resolve will translate into a return to respectability or just make another abysmal season that much harder for them to take.